St. Paul daily globe., 1887-01-10
dence here. All but he have been men Of
small means and not money-makers
WOMEN WHO ARE ATHLETES.
Circus Performers Taught the Art
ar n New York Gymnasium.
New York Mail and Express.

Circus Performers Taught the Art
afa New York Gymnasium.
New York Mail and Express.
Many people have long been at a loss to
know where the lady athletes learn the art
by which they earn livelihood and by
whom they are taught. A professor has a
private gymnasium i'll an uptown street at
which many of the queens OF the air are in
structed in the art of hanging by their toes
and going through various other acts we'll
known to the frequenters of the circus and
variety theater. A reporter had long
talk with this professor, and was told how
these athletes are taught. When the re-
porter entered the studio he found
| the professor instructing two young
| women in trapeZe maneuverS. The
| visitor was invited into a
private room. as it is against the rules for
any one to be present while pupils are TAX
ing lessons. The rooms were decorated
with photographs of the shining lights in
the profession whom the professor had
fitted for the business. After the lesson
was over the professor took the scribe
through the different apartments.
Il am the only man in this city," said
the athlete, who instructs ladies in the art
of performing OH the trapeze and / have
|
all the tricks and the way in which they
are acquired" -H 80 - -
II suppose person must be very young
and supple at the start to make anything
like good acrobat
'That's where you are entirely wrong,
sir. Any woman can become good per-
| former after proper course of training if
she is but healthy and not too stout. 1t is
all mechanical, and can be acquired only
by constant practice. l have ladies' come
to me who are anything but graceful, and
by following my advice and suggestions
closely they have become first class per
formers and are now earning good salaries.
Many fail because they can't stand the
hardship inseperable from the first few
days practice. After the initial lesson
they Invariably decline to take the rest of
the course. Nine persons out OF every ten
give it up after the first lesson. If they
would only keep on the pain would gradu-
ally disappear, and they would be all right
and never be similarly troubled again."
What is the first lesson you give?"
.The first lesson | give is to get my
money-my retainer, as it were. That is
also the first lesson they give me. Then
they are ready for the first lesson, which
consists of hanging by the hands and swing
ing to and fro across the room, which l
have them do in oIdtE to satisfy myself of
their strength. They generally swing
across twice and fall upon feather bed
The next figure is to hang by the hands
from bar. After they have gone so far
they take hold of the ropes and slide up
into a sitting position. After few
moments rest l make them get down by
reversing the motion.
when l have progressed thus far l
teach them to hang by their knees. This
is not quite so difficult as the previous
lesson. After they have gone
through this motion several times
they feel like going home. When
a woman has gone as far as this with
out complaining much it is pretty safe
to say she will succeed in the profession
she has chosen. Most of them think every
muscle in the body has been severed. l
have had pupils come to me after an alb
sence of week and tell me they felt the
bars across their backs.'
How long does it require woman to
become proficient"
That depends entirely upon the pupil;
but L generally tell what the pupil will
amount to as performer after have given
her two lessons.s'
''Do you ever have any accidents?"
VERY seldom; 1 always look out fol
them. Slim women generally make the
most scientific performers"